The Queen Dowager's Niece
by Vain x Life Poetess
Summary: Being the Queen's niece isn't easy. But when Bess arrived to her house, she was happy. For the first time she was offered respect and she got to be challenged by other smart women, including her aunt, but when the Baron turned his eyes on her, their friendship became strained. What is a teenager to do?
1. The Queen Dowager's Niece

**A/N: This is based of a challenge "Bess of Ubervilles" posted by Blue Ocean. Enjoy.**

* * *

Her name didn't matter since she was just a noble in contrast with her best friend, the lady Elizabeth Tudor who was of royal descent. Technically, she was too, but since she was not a direct descendant of Henry VIII, nobody cared.

She thought it had been a godsend when her mother told her that she would become a ward of her aunt, the Queen Dowager and present Baroness of Sudeley, Catherine Parr. Her aunt was one of the greatest women that ever lived, and the smartest as well.

Bess was eager to please her in any way shape or form. The minute she got there, she found that the Queen's household was a center of theological debate. She, Jane Grey and Elizabeth would spend day and night discussing the old and new testament of the bible and the works of saints, from the old church.

Aunt Catherine always stressed the importance of doubt. "Doubt" she said "is important because doubt allows us to reinforce our faith by asking the important questions and distinguishing honest preachers from false prophets."

The false prophet in her aunt's book were those of the old church whose debauchery knew no bounds. They were also corrupt, and didn't want the people to learn the truth because the minute they did, their flock would leave them for those that preached the true word of God.

Bess of Ubervilles truly felt lucky. Nothing could ever spoiled her time with Catherine. Nothing except one man who looked at her from afar, intrigued and seduced by her beauty.

The name she had was not important, but her age was and if his wife were not to survive the pains of childbirth than that meant he would have to look for a new wife. He could theoretically marry the lady Elizabeth. She had the same bewitching eyes as her mother, but that meant being royally tied to the crown more than what he already was.

Thomas knew his limitations. He was ambitious and being someone else's puppet, especially his wife's was not in his plans. The Lady Mary ... Out of the question as well! The girl looked like an old hag and with hips so small it was unlikely she would ever produced children.

That left Jane Grey, but Jane was only a child and too diva for his liking. No, he had to settle for someone simple, yet noble enough to bring him more connections and since his wife's niece was yet uncalled for and she had other family members who could help him oust his brother when the time came, made her the perfect candidate. A smile crept up Thomas' face that none noticed as he continued to watch the four women, especially Bess, recite a bible passage.


	2. Stuck in the Middle

Crying never helped anyone. Her governess used to say. Crying only makes you look weak and the world is not made to serve the weak, it is made to serve the strong. _I know._ She repeated in her head.

Bess spent her days translating books from Greek to Latin and then to Latin to English in an effort to impress her guardians, especially the Queen Dowager. Catherine was a good teacher and she was proud of all her students, but she was particularly close to Elizabeth Tudor.

The girl inspired her, and she felt saddened by what happened to her mother. Naturally every hour of the day was devoted to her, and improving her language skills.

"She doesn't need improving." She told Lady Jane one day. "I think what she needs is stop looking at boys."

Jane raised an eyebrow.

"What?" Bess asked.

"Are you jealous?"

"Of course not." Bess defended herself, trying to sound convincing but she failed.

"Lady Elizabeth is the late King's youngest daughter and our current King's favorite sister. One day she will be married to someone important, the Queen is doing her best to make her into a fine lady."

 _I know that._ But instead she said "What about us?" (Me) she meant. But it was rude to speak of herself. It was _unseemly_ for a lady. _And selfish._ Which was all the more reason why she didn't say the following 'What is going to happen to me? Who is going to take care of me?'

Jane smiled. "You don't understand the inner workings of the court, I do. My lady mother is very close to the blasphemer Lady Mary and her nuns. She tells me that the King is still close to her but he is slowly seeing her for what she is."

"That doesn't make sense. How can he be close to her and yet so far away?"

"Easy, the little Catholic witch uses magic."

It was Bess' turn to smile, and laugh at her friend's words. "Come on Jane, you don't really believe that bull?"

The Lady Mary wasn't the prettiest rose in the Tudor court, but she knew for a fact that she wasn't consorting with the devil. If anything, she was misguided and stubborn.

But Jane kept going, telling her about the 'sacrifices' they did in her home, and how she hid 'pagan priests'. "Her father proved the pope is an imp of the devil but still, she remained adamant in defying him and now she thinks that because her brother is on the throne and her late father restored her, that she is going to get special treatment but the little bastard is wrong."

"Please Jane don't call her that."

"You know I am right. She is jealous of us. We have everything while she has nothing."

 _Just who are you talking when you say_ _ **we**_ _?_ Bess wondered.

Jane chuckled. "It will only be a matter of time before she is exposed for the liar, charlatan she is and mark my words she will be. My dear father is seeing to that. But in answer to your question, the more Liz rises in the King's favor, the more those of the true faith rise as well."

Jane could see that troubled her friend. Bess didn't like the sound of going behind someone's back, even if that someone was someone she didn't know but already disliked because of the tall tales she heard about her.

Jane put a hand on her friend's shoulder. "Don't worry, all is fair in love and war. And this is a war, a war for men's souls."

Bess was very uncomfortable that night. Lord Sudeley look at her in that way and she'd told him to stop when they were alone in his study. "For a private chat" he said, but the way he spoke unnerved her. She was tempted to go to Catherine Parr, but after the conversation she had with Jane Grey, she thought against it.

Jane and Elizabeth idolized their guardian, and so did Bess but she was not stupid. If something (God forbid) were to happen to their King, then Mary would be Queen, and assuming she was capable of producing children, her dynasty would last forever.

 _How hard this is._

* * *

Thomas included himself in all the of the girls' activities. Catherine wasn't in the least bit suspicious of him until she caught him smiling at Bess when she danced one night for one of their guest. It was one of the reformers who had been hired as a tutor for Jane Grey. Catherine welcomed the man into their home and offered to pay all of his expenses so Jane's parents didn't have to. And it was when he suggested putting up a play that Thomas' eyes danced alight with desire when he caught sight of Bess dressed as Aphrodite.

She had to do something about this. Her sister had warned her about this. She said _"Cate, he is going to hurt you. Look at the large picture"_ Oh she had. She had. She had accepted the King's proposal and on the morning following their wedding night, she didn't complain. But wasn't she allowed some happiness for once? Hadn't she been the dutiful daughter for far too long?

Now that she had everything, husband, students to teach, a second book out, and a child on the way, she was supposed to be happy but she didn't feel happy. At night, Thomas was always away. In his study or god knows where else.

* * *

Bess asked her maids for a special favor. From now on they would rise earlier and touch her left shoulder, so she'd know it's them and not the Baron.

The maids looked at each other in confusion but didn't say anything. Bess sighed before she blew out the candle to her room. The Queen Dowager had an extra key, and so did her husband. So there would be no way of telling who was who at night.

But surely the Baron wasn't that idiotic. Sure, the man was lusty and ambitious, but even he had his limitations and if he thought about raping her or kidnapping her like in those silly stories he told her; he'd be killed instantly.

The King loved his aunt. Jane was right. And if someone hurt her, he'd hurt them back. Besides, the Lord Protector was getting tired of his brother and his wife even more. They were just waiting for the perfect excuse to take him out of the scene.

 _You are just overreacting._ Yes, she was. With this reassurance she closed her eyes and went to sleep.


	3. Determined Not To Lose

**A/N: It has been a while since I updated but trying to find another job and other stuff in my life, it has been hard. I will try updating this more frequently. Please be patient and as always, leave a review.**

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Bess said to herself "I am not going to let him bring me down." A maid was with her when he came early in the morning, rising earlier than most. He was not surprised to find her clothed. He commented on how beautiful she looked in velvet green. "Just like a Princess." He said smoothly stepping forward and gracing his thumb against her cheek.

After he left, her maid told her she had to be extra careful. You didn't have to be a genius to know that, but Bess appreciated the advice -never one to be rude, even when people treated her like a child.

 _You are a child_ -her conscience told her.

 _Am I?_ She was going to prove everyone that she wasn't a little girl anymore. She had matured in her short time with the Queen Dowager. And seeing as how her problems were going to be solved any time soon, she was going to take the reins of her destiny and solve them.

"You are playing with fire." Her maid told her that night after Bess told her how dinner went.

"The Queen is going to find out and tell His Majesty and you know how he is about these things. He is a zealot my lady, he is going to banish you and you won't be no better than a nun."

Bess rolled her eyes. She thanked God for her maid, but sometimes she could be so annoying. "You are overacting, even if that did happen. What is the worst that could happen to me there? There are no nunneries, and if I get sent to some old rich lady's home, I will be comfortably well cared for and before long I will be married to some younger son and live the rest of my life happily ever after."

"You don't even believe that."

"Things will work out in the end, you'll see. You said it to me the other day, people like me always have everything."

"I said people in your status have everything they can wish for, but there is a big difference between being a cynic and being a smart ass."

"I am not going anywhere, you are not going anywhere. Everything is going to be fine. Trust me."

She didn't believe her mistress but said nothing more. Bess slept soundly that night. Whatever was going to happen, was going to happen and she was going to be prepared for it. She had noble blood in her veins and she wasn't going to let anybody bring her down.

* * *

Thomas Seymour had other ideas. He was determined to take what he wanted -just like his brother did. He felt no qualms on cheating on his wife. She was the Queen Dowager, she had lived through three old men, one who cheated at every turn. What was one more?

Despite what she told the entire world, Cate was all about self-interest. The only difference was that she was too blinded by her faith to admit it. She loved Thomas because of his body, his looks, and because he was the King's favorite uncle and he helped remain relevant, as well as keep her family's dirty secrets.

Growing up, he had learned a lot from his father. While his mother praised Edward, and Jane couldn't stop talking about how great he was non-stop, as he got older and he became his sister's idol; Thomas learned to use what he had to get what he wanted.

Edward was a soldier, a commander, a ruthless politician. Thomas was none of these (at first), but he had his looks and women's loyalty and he used those to get to the top. Edward always considered him dishonest. But that was because Edward was a religious man and religious men were unable to admit that beneath all that honor and zealotry, there was a beast, bound and chained, waiting to devour its prey.

Thomas didn't keep his beast chained. He accepted what he was and took pleasure in every woman that came his way, and every person he plotted with to bring his brother down.

He loved Cate -in his own way. She was loyal to him, she was beautiful and she had royal blood. She was everything a man could wish for. And on top of that, she was a scholar whom the King loved, and she loved him because more than her late husband, he was a fervent religious servant of the new faith and his support of her, helped her get her books sold. With that, came many connections from well known Protestants, and noble families who had flocked to Thomas' side. They were initial supporters of Edward's coup; and like Thomas, they wanted to bring his brother down by any means necessary.

Unfortunately for so called "wise men", they weren't very bright. All they were interested in was talking, and signing paper after paper to save their own arse. Thomas wanted action. What better time than now to overthrow his brother and take control of his nephew's government! But noooo, these men were too cowardly for that.

He opened the door of his ward's bedroom slightly. She had changed her facial expression from one of happiness to one of caution. Thomas admired that, it made him more interested in her.

Should -God forbid- something happen to poor Cate, he'd have to find a new wife and his nephew's sisters were too stuck up for him. Ladies Mary and Elizabeth were too independent, they wouldn't settle for any man, much less him. He would have look elsewhere. Lady Jane was out of the question. She was more suited for Queen since that was what her parents had in mind (especially her father who already treated her like a queen); his only choice was a noble girl. Someone related to Cate, but with no living family.  
His smile widened as he thought of little Bess being forced to walk down the aisle. The intense hatred radiating from her eyes, tight lips. All of that would turn into passivity the morning after when she learned the harsh ways of the world.


End file.
